Spreader for fertilizer and the like



July 1, 1958 A. MAscARO SPREADER FOR FERTILIZER AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-She-et 1 Filed Aug. ll, 1955 n l l I l l l l I l l I l l l 1 INVENTORC ANTHONY MASQARO BY WW July 1, 195s A NASCAR@ 2,841,401

SPREADER FOR FERTILIZER AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. l1, 1955 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI ANTHONY MASCARO ATTYS.

United States Patent iice 2,841,401 Patented July 1, 1958 SPREADER FOR FERTILIZER AND THE LIKE Anthony Mascaro, West Point, Pa. Application August 11, 1955, Serial No. 527,688

' 1 Claim. (ci. 27s-1s) The present invention relates to spreaders for fertilizer and like granular or pulverulent materials, and more particularly to mobile units of this character which are adapted for manual operation on lawns and gardens.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel mobile spreader unit which is operable to spread powdered or granular material, such as plant food and fertilizer, and distribute the same uniformly over the vegetation of a lawn or garden.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel device of this character which is operated automatically upon advance or forward movement of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device having the features and characteristics set forth which is of comparatively simplified Vand inexpensive manufacture and is fully effective in operation and use.

These Vand other objects of the present invention and the various features and details Vof the construction and operation thereof are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially in section of a spreader made inl accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the spreader partially in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing the adjustment of the spreading element;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and showing the rotary spreading element of the device;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing the operation of the device; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views at reduced scale showing the device in use.

The spreader of the 'present invention comprises a tank 11 for containing the fertilizer or other granular or pulvernlent material having a lower discharge outlet at 12. The tank 11 is mounted on a handle 13 having adjacent its lower extremity a frame 14 rotatably mounting a single wheel 15. Thus, the unit may be advanced by simply pushing the device by the handle 13.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided to receive the material from the discharge outlet 12 and spread it uniformly over the vegetation of a lawn or garden. To this end, the frame 14 is provided with an opstanding stub shaft 17 having rotatably mounted thereon, for example by an anti-friction bearing assembly 18, a horizontally disposed spreader element 19. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the spreader element comprises a at base 20 having a plurality, in the present instance four, upstanding vanes 21. Means is provided on the under surface of the spreader element 19 to effect rotation of the latter upon advance of the spreader unit. To this end, friction drive pulley 22, is secured to the base plate 20 in engagement with the tire portion 24 of the wheel 15. Thus, as the wheel 15 rotates on its axle, the tire portion 24 engages the pulley 22 and effects ro- 2 tation of the spreader element 19 about its vertical axis.

The friction drive between the tire 24 and the pulley 22 is extremely important to insure proper operation of the spreader element 19. When dealing with fertilizer and like materials, the conventional driving elements are subjectto rapid corrosion or binding of the elements by reason of the chemical and physical characteristics of the fertilizer. The powdery nature of the fertilizer frequently causes the working parts of conventional driving mechanisms to become clogged, and the corrosive chemical characteristics of the fertilizer cause rapiddeterioration of exposed elements. The present invention eliminates the drawbacks of prior spreaders by providing a simple and inexpensive friction drive in which the operating parts are adequately shielded from contact with the fertilized material. Attention is directed to the bearing assembly 18 which comprises a bushing 26 slidably mounted on the shaft 17, packing 27 which mounts the lower extremity of the pulley 22 and a pair of anti-friction bearings 28, 28. The packing 27 insures against infiltration of the fertilized material into the interior of the pulley and the anti-friction bearings 28, 28, the slidable mounting of the bushing insuring engagement of the pulley 22 with the tire 24.

Means is provided to control the discharge of the fertilizer of the material from the tank 11 through the discharge opening 12. To this end, the discharge opening is provided with a laterally slidable valve element 31 which is provided with an opening 30 adapted to register with the discharge opening V12 when the spreader is operating. Operating means is provided to displace the valve element 311 out of registry with the discharge opening 12 to prevent discharge of the fertilizer onto the spreader element 19. The operating means comprises a plunger rod 32 connected to the valve element 31 at oneend, and received in the bone of a flexible cable 33 at the other end. The plunger rod 32 is actuated by a rod 3S extending upwardly from the tank 11. Thus, when it is desired to cut oif the flow of fertilizer from the tank 11, the rod 35 is pulled up to move the valve element 31 out of registry with the discharge opening 12. When it is desired to resume operation, the rod 35 is displaced downwardly, registering the opening 30 of the valve element 31 with the discharge opening 12.

To insure uniform flow of theA fertilizer material from the hopper, an agitator is provided. In the present instance, the agitator comprises a flexible metal strip 37 slidably mounted for vertical adjustment in the hopper 11 as indicated at 38 and extending downwardly through the discharge opening 12 and the opening 30 of the valve 31 into close proximity to the spreader 19. The strip 37 is adjustable vertically, so that when the valve 31 is closed, the strip is out of contact with the vanes of the spreader element 19. However, when the valve 31 is opened to register the openings 30 and 12, the strip 37 is displaced downwardly into engagement with the vanes of the spreader element 19. Thus, when the spreader element rotates, the vanes on the element engage against the lower extremity of the strip 37, cansing it to vibrate between the broken line positions shown in Fig. l.

Displacement of the strip 37 is eected by an outturned leg 39 which embraces the rod 35. When the valve 31 is closed, by raising the rod 35, a collar 40 engages against the undersurface of the outturned leg 39 of the agitator 37, thereby raising the agitator against the bias of the spring 41 out of engagement with the spreader element 19. When the valve is opened, for example by displacing the rod 35 downwardly, the downward displacement of the collar 40 allows the spring 41 to displace the agitator element downwardly into en-` 'thereof to receive the oiof the spreader element.

material from accumulating in the cuffs and shoes ofv gage'ment'Y atrits` lower extremity with the spreader elevrnent 19. Thus, when the spreader unit is operating,

brate'andV effect uniformflow of the' material'. onto Ythe spreader Yelement 19: VWhen the unit' is` rendered" inoperative, for example-by' raisin-g the rod 35;` the agitator discharge' opening 12' is cut outradjacent theinn'er edge Y agitator element 37, as shownin Fig. `4. j

Itis noted that' the discharge'opening- 12 is offset laterally from'the center of the' spreader. element 191 the major part of the material discharged' from the lop' Y withthefspreaderV element 19. Asshown' in'Fig'. 4', the.'

per isdepositeclon' one side of' the spreader element;

Since the' spreader element is rotating under` the action ofthe` wheel 15, theicentrifugal force causesV aV distribu tion of the material-to bothsides vof the spreader element and to the front, very little being distributed rearv'vardlyV since the majority of the material has been thrown the operator of the device (see Fig. 7).

Means is providedtto adjust the spreader elementvt'o distribute the material more on one side'of .the unit thanv on the other. As shown in Figs; l and 3', the stubshaft 17 is mounted in engagement with a'plate' 45 Vhaving a series of detents 46 positioned to dispose the stub shaft with a forward, vertical, or rearward inclination. The stub Vshaft is` pivotally mounted coaxially with the'wheel 1S, so thatY proper'engagement of th'epulley 22V with the tire r24 ism'aintained,v As pointedo'ut above',\whenV the spreaderA stub shaft 17 is vertical, a uniform distribution at both sides and to the front is obtained as shown in Fig; 7. When the stub shaft is inclined Yrearwardly, for example as shown at 17a in Fig.,3, the ma-4 jor part of the material deposited on the spreader element' is carried around and dischargedvto Ythe right, for

example as shown in Fig. 6. When'A the shaft' 17; is inclined forwardly, Yfor example, as indicated at 17b in Y Fig. 3, the material is discharged for the most part', to'V the left' ofthe unit. Thus, it is possible to distribute the material to one side or the other or` uniformly on both sides byy simply adjusting the angularityi or inclination ofthe stub shaft 17.

This prevents the fertilized `mounting wheels 5151 which are adapted toA engage*` the ground and prevent tilting ofl the unit when it is at rest.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and describedfit is not intended to limit the invention to such a disclosure, and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto without departure from the invention, as defined t in the following claim. Y Y Y I clairn: L

A mobile spreading unit comprising a tank for containing gfanla'r', pulverulent, andlike material, at least one wheel supporting said tank and mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal aXis,'an upright stubshaftrmounted on said unit adjacent said wheel, a spreader element mounted for rotation on saidV shaft and comprising asubstantially flat backing plate, and a plu` ralit'y of upstandingfvanes disposed radialtosai'dstubk shaft; meansA tov effect rotation of said ,spreader elements V upon advance oi said unit, a discharge opening fin` said tank overlying said spreader unit,'an agitator` mounted in said. tankcomprising a resilient exible strip dejgsfend` ing downwardly through said discharge openingV andrdisplace'ablevertically between a; rst position'in engage- ,ment' with the vanes whereby upon rotation of saidele-,

onto said'baeking plate, and an operator for said.valve the ground; The device is of extremely simple manufacture, and'fis fullypeective vin operation and use.

When the spreading operation is completed, the unit-may be retained upright by simply lowering the handle 13,

meansV Yn-lovablei'between Vfirst and Lsecond limit positions respectivelyopeningrand closing'said valve meansfand, connections between said' strip and said operator to por-Vv sition the'st'rip in its 'rst position when the operatork is in its 'rst position'a'nd in saidsecond position when said operator is in its second position.

RefereiwesY Cited in the fue or vthis vpatent 257,473 Y ,Germany j, vs," 

